Page 2160 - Sports

Captain Atwal ready to deliver at EurAsia Cup

Captain Arjun Atwal hopes to turn the tide in Asias favour against Europe at the EurAsia Cup golf tournament which starts on Friday.

Pacers Olivier, Ngidi added to Proteas squad for second Test

South Africa have added the fast bowling duo of Duanne Olivier and uncapped 21-year-old Lungi Ngidi to their squad for the second cricket Test against India starting here on Saturday.

Gasquet upsets Nadal at Kooyong Classic

Richard Gasquet of France on Tuesday handed a defeat to World No.1 Rafael Nadal at the Kooyong Classic exhibition in Australia.

Struggling Dynamos host rejuvenated Blasters

Bottom-placed Delhi Dynamos will have their task cut out when they host Kerala Blasters in an Indian Super League (ISL) match here tomorrow. The Dynamos started the season with a bang, beating FC Pune City 3-2 in their opening match. But, in the seven matches played since then, they have lost six and drawn one - and find themselves rock bottom in the table. Another club that wasn't expected to be caught in the quagmire of the bottom three is Kerala Blasters, but they are in eighth. A disappointing start has seen them recall David James as head coach. His first job will be to secure a victory after a run of three matches without a win. The Dynamos continue to hog possession and stitch up good passing play, but their failure to win has left fans exasperated. "Kerala are strong in defence and very experienced. They are compact and difficult to break down. But it is also difficult for them against us," Dynamos' head coach Miguel Angel Portugal said. "At home it is most ...

India is doing the right thing: Avram Grant

Avram Grant says India is doing the right things in football, days after being tasked with reviving NorthEast United's fortunes in the ISL, like he did when he was in charge of Premier League giants Chelsea many summers ago. India might seem like an odd destination for a man who has coached three English Premier League teams Chelsea FC, Portsmouth and West Ham but for Grant it was quite an easy decision to make. "It wasn't difficult. I wanted to see football in different places. I was in Thailand, Serbia, Africa; I enjoyed very much. I enjoy seeing countries that want to develop and India wants to develop its football. I think they are doing the right thing. There is lot to do. "It's a process but for me I came for short time to see how it is and share my experience. It's an easy decision," said Grant, who last coached the Ghana national team. The Israeli coach, who took Chelsea to the final of the UEFA Champions League in 2008, is now technical advisor to NorthEast ..

Kohli down to third spot, Rabada tops Test bowlers rankings

Indian skipper and swashbuckling batsman Virat Kohli has dropped to the third spot with England captain Joe Root replacing him in the second position in the latest Test batsmen rankings released by the International Cricket Council (ICC), on Tuesday.Kohli, who has recently returned for the national side after being rested for the series against Lanka, struggled to make runs like his team-mates during his side's 72-run defeat against South Africa in the opening Test in Cape Town.The Indian skipper has dropped 13 points after managed just five and 28 runs in the two innings of the match.Meanwhile, Australia's Steve Smith is unchanged on 947 points in first position while Root has moved up to the second position with 26 points after contributing significant 141 runs in the Sydney Test.Kane Williamson of New Zealand is standing at the fourth position followed by India's Cheteshwar Pujara, who has slipped from third to fifth.Pujara's scores for 26 and four resulted in his total falling by .

'North Korea will send athletes to South's Winter Olympics'

North Korean athletes and officials will attend the Winter Olympics in South Korea next month, the two sides said today after their first official talks in more than two years. "The North Korean side will dispatch a National Olympic Committee delegation, athletes, cheerleaders, art performers' squad, spectators, a Taekwondo demonstration team and a press corps and the South will provide necessary amenities and facilities," they said in a joint statement.

Ignored trio trains at Newlands as SA coach fires pace warning

The ignored trio of KL Rahul, Ajinkya Rahane and Ishant Sharma were part of an optional practice session at Newlands, even as South Africa coach Ottis Gibson warned they would continue to torment India with pace. India lost the first Test by 72 runs within four days, with Vernon Philander wreaking havoc with his pace and swing. Parthiv Patel was also part of the small training group. Assistant coach Sanjay Bangar and bowling coach Bharat Arun were part of the support team that assisted them through the session lasting just under 90 minutes. Rahul and Rahane both batted in the adjoining nets, alternating between throw-downs and facing throw-downs as well as net bowlers. Ishant Sharma also bowled. Patel was last to join in the batting sessions. There has been a lot of debate over India's team selection in the first Test. Certainly, South African skipper Faf du Plessis had expressed surprise at the omission of both Rahane and Ishant, with Rohit Sharma (21 runs in two ...

Bihar govt to sign MoU with BCA for development of Patna's

Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi today said that Bihar government will sign an MoU with Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) for the development of Moinul Haque stadium in the state capital. Controversy surrounded Bihar's cricket association following state's (Bihar's) bifurcation (in the year 2000). The BCCI had de-affiliated the state criketing body. But, recently the Supreme Court allowed Bihar to participate in Ranji Trophy matches. The state government will sign an MoU with BCA for the development of Moinul Haque stadium where Bihar's budding and talented crickets can practise and take coaching of internation standards," Sushil Modi said. Bihar's team will also participate in Ranji trophy matches after the gap of 17 years, Sushil Modi said while inaugurating a four-day 'Bihar Eklavya Khel' event at Patliputra sports complex here. Notably, the Supreme Court had on January 4, 2018 allowed Bihar Cricket Association to participate in Ranji Trophy and similar other ...

Schalke to sign striker Mark Uth in next season

Schalke announced on Tuesday that striker Mark Uth will join them in the summer of 2018 for free from fellow German football club TSG Hoffenheim after agreeing a four-year deal.

Vignesh, Karthik star as TN beats Kerala

Medium-pacer K Vignesh with a five-wicket haul and Dinesh Karthiks half-century starred as Tamil Nadu beat Kerala by 35 runs in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy South Zone T20 cricket tournament here today. Tamil Nadu made 184 for 7 in 20 overs and restricted Kerala 149 for 7 to emerge victor. It is the team's second consecutive win after beating Andhra yesterday. Sent in to bat by Kerala captain Sachin Baby, Tamil Nadu lost K Bharath Shankar (7) in the third over, caught and bowled by Sandeep Warrier. Dinesh Karthik, who hammered a quickfire half-century against Andhra Pradesh yesterday, continued his good form and played numerous attractive strokes. He reached 50 in 28 balls and lashed 20 runs in the next 10 balls he faced to power Tamil Nadu. Along with the left-handed M S Washington Sundar, Karthik added 92 runs in quick time as the Kerala bowlers struggled to contain them. Karthik looked in impressive touch as he blasted eight fours and four sixers in his 38-ball 71 to ...

Guptill guides New Zealand to easy win over Pakistan

Riding on Martin Guptill's brisk half-century, New Zealand gained a 2-0 lead in their five-match ODI series against Pakistan notching a comfortable eight-wicket win on the DLS Method in a rain-interrupted second encounter here on Tuesday.

I have achieved everything; it's tough to set new goals: Paes

At 44, with 18 Grand Slam titles and an Olympic medal in his cupboard, Leander Paes is finding it "tough to set new goals" but still spent his off-season getting stronger to remain relevant in modern day tennis, which is being dominated by brute power. Many of his contemporaries have become coaches and many of his juniors have already hung racquets but this Indian legend's hunger for tennis is far from satiated. "For me the off-season is about skill, endurance, weights, core, back, reinventing my game because now the game has become physical. All these boys are 6'3", 6'5". They are so strong, that your reaction time becomes less because the ball is being hit so hard. "Building power means that the serve can be powerful. The forehand can be stronger. You can come back with a new style of doubles. So, the off-season for me is more about physical fitness and also about setting new goals because I am finding it very tough to set new goals," Paes told PTI in an exclusive ...

Atwal sought Tiger's advice after being named Asia captain

Arjun Atwal turned to his close friend Tiger Woods for a word of advice soon after being appointed captain of Team Asia for the third edition of the EurAsia Cup. Woods' experience of playing in the Ryder Cup and being the vice-captain at events like Ryder Cup and President's Cup, were what he was looking for and this week that could well be put into use. Atwal said, "I was kind of surprised they asked me. To represent this team is truly an honour. It's a lot of fun. I got to meet some of the guys that I didn't really know that well today and everyone is having a great time in the team room, on the golf course and that's what I want it to be like. It's been great." Asked if he sought advise or picked anybody's brains after being chosen captain, Atwal said, "Yeah, a little, just to see what to expect in this type of tournament and format. I pretty much picked Tiger's brain a little bit because we are really close. "I saw Davis (Love III) at a range somewhere and I kind ..

Solomon Deksisa, Bornes Kitur for Mumbai Marathon

Solomon Deksisa of Ethiopia and defending champion Bornes Kitur will be among the major attractions in the men's and women's elite field respectively, at the USD 405,000 Tata Mumbai Marathon to be held on January 21. Four men who have run under 2 hours and seven minutes, including Deksisa, and five others who have run under 2:09:00, as well as six women who have gone faster than 2:29:00 will be on the start line at the 15th edition of the race offering a top prize of USD 42,000, according to race promoters, Procam International. Deksisa, whose personal best of 2:06:22, was clocked while finishing second at the 2016 Rotterdam Marathon and ending up third at last October's Toronto Marathon, is the fastest to have entered for the Mumbai Marathon. Ethiopia's Chele Dechasa and Abraham Girma, and Bahrain's Shumi Dechasa, the latter running for his country in the last two IAAF World Championships marathons, are the three other men entrants who have run under 2:07:00 in their .

United, Tottenham to play League Two sides in FA Cup

League Two side Yeovil, the lowest-ranked side in the draw of the FA Cup football tournament, will host Manchester United in a fourth round tie, for the second time in four seasons.

Feel no pressure to score, says U-17 World Cupper Jeakson

His name has been etched in Indian football history for scoring the country's first ever World Cup goal but Jeakson Singh does not feel any additional pressure to score in the Hero I-League. "My job as a midfielder is to provide support to the defence and the forwards as per the situation. If I get a chance to score I will take it, but there is no pressure on me to score," said Singh, who is yet to find the net in the I- League for Indian Arrows. Asked about his experience playing in the league, the teenager says it has been full of surprises, and playing with some of the countries best is a reward in itself. "The Hero I-League experience has been exciting and full of pleasant surprises. At the end of the day we are sharing the pitch with some of the best players of the country and that in itself is a big accolade for us," he said. Singh, who scored against Colombia in the FIFA U-17 World Cup held in October, also feels playing in the league has been a challenging ...

I-League: Bagan look to extending winning run against Minerva Punjab (Preview, correcting para 5)

Hot on the heels of registering their first victory in over a month, Mohun Bagan will hope to continue the momentum when they host Minerva Punjab FC in their penultimate I-League home game at the Vivekananda Yuvabharati Krirangan here on Wednesday.

Angelo Mathews re-appointed as Lanka's limited-overs captain

All-rounder Angelo Mathews has been reappointed as the captain of Sri Lanka's limited-overs side, less than six months after stepping down from the post.The shift in captaincy comes in less than two months after Thisara Perera was named as Sri Lanka's skipper for the ODI and T20I matches against India in November 2017, replacing Upul Tharanga.The change came due to poor performance and whitewash losses under Tharanga's captaincy.Earlier, Mathews had stepped down from the position following the loss against Zimbabwe in July last year, while Dinesh Chandimal, who is currently spearheading the Test team, has not consistently held a place in the playing XI for ODIs.And now Mathews, who earlier led the team in all formats, agreed to once again lead the team in the white-ball format, following a request made by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) President Thilanga Sumathipala."I invited Angelo to reconsider and accept the captaincy once again, further to the lengthy discussions I had with the Head ...

River Plate agree deal for striker Pratto

Sao Paulo have agreed to sell Argentine striker Lucas Pratto to Buenos Aires giants River Plate, the Brazilian club announced.